


The Lost and The Found

by Midnightfalterings



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Apocalypse, Finding love on the road to rescue your kidnapped brother, Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Siblings, Kosmo ships it, M/M, Meet-Cute, Plot too big for my god damn fic, background Adashi, mild violence, travel buddies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 21:23:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16502957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnightfalterings/pseuds/Midnightfalterings
Summary: “You don’t spend a lot of time thinking, do you?” This caused Keith to look at Lance.“Excuse me?” Keith scowled at Lance’s profile.“You’re more of an action kind of guy, huh?” Lance clarified before barrelling on. “If I could change anything I’d bring back stuff that would make life easier for my family. I think I’d do anything for them.”“After we get my brother we’ll find them.” Keith blurted. “I’ll make sure we do.”“Thanks.” Lance’s voice was quiet and small. “Your family must be lucky to have someone like you.”Keith couldn’t reply even if he wanted to as Lance turned to face him, moonlight casted across his face and lighting up his eyes. Otherworldly.





	The Lost and The Found

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEN EXCHANGE TO ALEESHA (pngdraws on twitter and tumblr) I HOPE U ENJOY!  
> and thank you Jessie (Talking_Bird) For being a wonderful beta and making this thing readable

It started the day the world stopped. It didn’t really stop, though—the earth was still spinning. The sun still rose in the East and set to the West. The birds still chirped and the wind still blew. But he supposed for a lot of the population the world did stop.

It started on a regular Tuesday. 

The only warning being a quick power surge minutes beforehand. A scrambled radio wave. 

Everything fell silent. 

Everything  on earth sucked in one last breath, and has held its breath ever since. 

But life went on.

 

<><><><>

Keith stuck close to the wall, keeping his steps light as he made his way across the darkened mall. He could hear the raiders grouping at a table in the abandoned food court.

Most malls were gutted, looted and turned into housing for small communities. This one, on the other hand, was too far out of the way leaving it empty, decrepit and overgrown with greenery.

Kosmo kept beside Keith, the wolf hybrid cocking his head at the echoes of raucous laughter bouncing off the concrete walls. He knew to be silent and follow Keith’s lead, it wouldn’t do to get into a sticky situation early on.

 

_ Adam stood on the front porch, early morning sun glinting off his glasses and illuminating the small cul-de-sac. He handed Keith more rations and supplies than he could carry while Kosmo sat at the bottom of the front steps, waiting patiently. _

_ “Bring him back in one piece so I can kill him myself, yeah?” Adam asked as he pulled Keith into a bone-crushing hug. Keith tensed briefly before placing his hands on Adam’s back and nodding. _

_ “I’ll bring him home safe.” Keith promised. He didn’t comment on the dampness of Adam’s cheeks when he pulled away. Adam nodded, rubbing at his cheeks and failing to hide the tears. _

_ With one last watery smile Keith turned and began the long trek ahead. _

 

Loud clunks and bangs rang through what used to be a food court. Keith and Kosmo winced and cringed at every resonation of the noise.

“Who’s there?” a raider cried out as the rest got to their feet and drew  their weapons.

Keith held his breath, pressing his back harder against the wall. Logically, he knew he wasn’t discovered since the noises had come from the opposite side of the opening.

“Heyyy...” This voice is entirely out of place, not tinged with aggression or the croak of cigarette-damage. Keith winced in sympathy. Poor, stupid bastard. “Sorry about that, fellas! Wasn’t watching where I was walking.” Keith winced again. “I think that was a coat hanger…”

“How’d you get in here?” One of the raiders shouted. There was a scoff. 

“All due respect, you guys kinda suck at upkeep and this place is like seventy years old. There’s over like, thirty entrances through the crumbling walls alone.” Keith heaved a sigh into the palm of his hand. This guy was practically begging to get clubbed over the head.

From the surprised shout and the sounds of scuffling Keith assumed he’d been grabbed and pulled down to the main floor and was arguing that he hadn’t meant to trespass.

This guy was an idiot, but Keith certainly wasn’t heartless enough to stand by while he got the snot beat out of him. Kosmo had come to the same conclusion, if his large puppy eyes directed at Keith said anything. Keith closed his eyes and took a breath in before pulling his baseball bat from where it was strapped into his belt. Hopefully he wouldn’t need his knife.

“Hey! Over here.” His voice reverberated across the space, much louder than he intended. He resisted the urge to cringe.

He was finally able to see the scene, four grungy and dirt covered raiders, All metal spikes, leather and ripped denim, the wide eyed boy on his knees with his hands in the air. The boy turned his head to face Keith, a weird mixture of relief and panic crossing his face. His clothes were too nice to be a rival raider, but also too worn to be from a nearby community. He didn’t seem to have any weapons on him.

“Is he yours?” A raider sneered, hauling the boy up by the back of his shirt, ignoring the squeak of protest.

“Uh…” Keith faltered. “Yeah.” He tried to make his voice sound as confident as possible. “Hand him over and we’ll be going.” Keith leaned against the baseball bat like a cane, hoping it made him look confident enough to avoid a fight.

The raider scoffed, dropping the boy before pulling his own weapon - some sort of hooked pipe - and shaking his head.

“So we got two trespassers, ya tryna’ steal from us, huh?” He asked, taking a step across the space and closer to Keith. Keith sighed as the other raiders followed his lead, stepping away from the boy.

“No one’s stealing from you, we’re just passing through.” Truthfully, Keith had been stealing supplies from what used to be the mall’s pharmacy. He couldn’t speak for the other guy, though.

“Don’t believe ya.” The raider was walking slowly towards Keith. Which was dumb, Keith thought. It gave Keith a large gap of both time and space to run away, or better yet for Kosmo to grab the boy still on the floor in shock and start pulling him behind a kiosk. The raiders would have realized this if they hadn’t neglected to leave a guard for their hostage.

Raiders weren’t known for their smarts.

Keith waited until the boy and Kosmo were officially out of range before unhooking a small tube from the back of his belt, a Pidge and Matt invention. He tossed the tube toward the head raider, watching as smoke began pouring out of it. Once the raiders were fully shrouded in smoke he made a break for it, tearing down the wide hallways until he got to the shattered out glass door. He could see the boy and Kosmo waiting for him. The boy stared behind him with wide eyes, Keith was beginning to think the guy just had naturally wide eyes.

“Come on!” Keith grabbed his wrist as he continued running, Kosmo easily keeping up. The boy stumbled a bit but kept in pace.

“That was so badass!” He gushed.

Keith yanked him behind a half collapsed brick wall a couple blocks from the mall.

Thankful for the moment to rest, Keith let go of the boy’s wrist and slumped against the wall. He closed his eyes as he caught his breath.

“Thank you for that.” The boy’s voice was breathless and still tinged with an edge of panic. “I’m Lance.” Keith cracked his eyes open to find the boy’s - Lance’s - hand right under his nose.

“Keith.” he replied, brushing Lance’s hand to the side. Lance’s eyebrows scrunched and his lips pursed as he looked down at his hand before back up at Keith. An action that made Keith suddenly aware of Lance’s conventional attractiveness. Not that it mattered since he’d never see this guy again.

“Okay. Where are you headed?” Lance asked, smiling widely at Keith. “Maybe we can travel together.” Keith freezes while adjusting his shoulder strap.

“If you want protection there are mercenaries for hire in every big city.” Keith told him, displaying his displeasure clearly across his face.

“No, I don’t mean as protection or a guard or whatever.” Lance waved his hands in front of his face. His expressiveness reminded Keith a bit of Adam. “I mean as buddies, pals, amigos, friends, companions.” He rambled on, listing out more words for one meaning than Keith knew there were.

“You don’t want to go where I’m going.” Keith replied, pulling himself to his feet. “Come on Kosmo.” He turned and began walking away before Lance could reply.

He got a few yards before he paused, realizing he didn’t hear footsteps behind him. He turned back to see Kosmo, sitting next to Lance, the two of them staring at him with wide eyes and matching pouts.

“Kosmo. Come.” Keith snapped his fingers. Kosmo’s tail wagged but he made no move to follow Keith.

“I don’t think he wants to.” Lance smirked at Keith, scratching behind Kosmo’s ear. Keith watched with mounting anger as Kosmo’s leg thumped against the ground, and he leaned into Lance’s touch.

“You, shut up! Stop stealing my dog!” Keith pointed an angry finger at Lance. “Kosmo come here right now.” Still, Kosmo refused to budge. Keith let out an angry breath before marching back over to the two. “Kosmo. We have to go.” He tried again in a softer voice. “Don’t you wanna see Shiro?” Kosmo’s ears perked up at the name, but he remained seated. “Unbelievable.”

“Oh! Who’s Shiro?” Lance asked. He’d made himself comfortable, sitting on crossed legs as he stroked Kosmo’s fur.

“My brother.” Keith muttered, glaring at Kosmo as he plopped his ass on the ground.

“I’ll make you a deal.” Lance rested his head on his hand, leaning forward to look at Keith from around Kosmo. “We all go see your brother. It’s a win/win/win. Your dog doesn’t abandon you for a handsome, mulletless stranger-”

“Mullet?” Keith touched his hair with a frown.

“- You get some extra muscle and supplies, and I have a shot at reuniting with my family.” Lance grinned.

“I really don’t think your family went North…” Keith trailed off. North was a wasteland. Abandoned and unlivable.

“No…” Lance drawled carefully, smile falling. “They went South. But you have to go back South after going North anyways.” He shrugged, as though the falter in confidence hadn’t mattered.

“I do.” Keith reluctantly admitted. “I’m bringing my brother back South.” He stood with a huff and began walking in the same direction he had before. “Come on. Both of you. Don’t slow me down.” He was going to regret this later.

 

_ “What do you mean he’s missing?” Adam asked, pulling off his rubber gloves with panicked and wild eyes. _

_ “He...He didn’t come home.” Keith was nearly on the brink of tears, fists shaking and arms feeling heavy as lead. _

_ Adam looked at him before softening his own expression. _

_ “Keith. I’m sure he’s fine.” He told the smaller boy, resting his hands on Keith’s shoulders. “Takashi is strong. He’ll make his way back home.” Keith nodded, wiping unshed tears from his eyes. Nineteen years old and he was crying over his brother being gone for longer than they expected. _

_ Keith sat on the front porch every day for two weeks, waiting to see Shiro making his way down the road towards their house. _

_ Keith was sitting at the front steps when the package was delivered. The package that finally cracked Adam’s strong resolve. The package that Krolia and Adam buried. The package that kept Keith up at night. _

 

“I’m a great travel buddy! I know like every road trip song there is to know.” Lance told him.

“Oh joy.” Keith deadpanned, glaring at the path ahead of them.

“And I can cook! Do you like pancakes? I make great pancakes. Not as good as Hunk’s, but that’s a really high bar to live up to.” Lance continued, all but skipping beside Keith.

“Why don’t we play the quiet game? Okay. Go.” Keith basked in the few moments of silence after that.

“You know that only works on kids, right?” Keith groaned, slumping forward. “So, tell me about yourself then, if you don’t want to hear about me.” Lance suggested, kicking at a rock beneath his foot.

“There’s nothing to tell.” Keith could feel Lance’s frown on him.

“Okay, we’re going to do this the hard way, I see. Where are you from?” He asked, turning around to face Keith as he walked backwards.

“You’re going to trip.” After a moment of no reply and a steady patient look Keith sighed. “I’m from a small cul-de-sac community outside of Astoria’s ruins.” Lance gave him a flat look. Not enough. Keith sighed again. “I live with my brother, his fiance, and my mother. My mom’s usually travelling, though. So I mostly grew up with my brother and Adam.” Keith fell quiet again, hoping that was enough.

“You wanna tell me about them?” Lance asked, a smug grin on his face. It was seconds before Keith was spared from answering due to a yelp and Lance falling squarely on his ass. Keith’s laughter certainly didn’t help Lance’s new sour attitude.

 

_ “How did you know you liked Adam?” Keith asked, with a slight lisp from his missing front tooth. _

_ Shiro paused at the question, half-peeled potato forgotten as he turned to face Keith. _

_ “Why the sudden interest?” He asked, an excited gleam in his eyes. Keith went red at the face, sputtering that he was just curious. ‘For the future’ he insisted. _

_ Shiro sighed with a smile, leaning across the kitchen island to level his face with Keith’s. _

_ “Well, when we were younger is parents ran the local schoolhouse. Krolia and our dad would drop us off at his house and his parents would homeschool us-” _

_ “I know this.” Keith interrupted, folding his arms and scowling at Shiro. _

_ “Okay, well what you don’t know is that Adam didn’t like me at first.” Keith’s eyes widened at this. “He would say all kinds of things, he’d call my hair stupid, he’d constantly try to prove that he was better than me.” _

_ “But you didn’t do anything.” Keith argued, suddenly deeply offended for his brother. Shiro laughed. _

_ “I know. But we were young and he couldn’t think of any other way to grab my attention.” Shiro shrugged, an easy smile gracing his lips, as though it were a good memory. This puzzled Keith. Why couldn’t Adam just ask for Shiro’s attention? _

 

Nine years later and Keith fully understood why Adam couldn’t just ask for Shiro’s attention.

The realization sunk in as he looked at Lance over the campfire. The boy was laid back against Kosmo’s sleeping form - The wolf had taken quite the liking to Lance - his hands flailing as he recounted a story.

They’d been travelling together for nearly a week at this point and Keith was was feeling something settling in his gut. Something heavy and warm.

He’d realized somewhere in the middle of a jab about Lance’s clumsy feet that he didn’t know why he kept bringing up things he knew would start an argument. Things that would rile Lance up.

To be fair Lance did the same frequently.

“Hello, Mullet, are you even listening to me?” Lance asked, frowning at him from over their small fire.

Lance did the same…

Keith rolled his eyes and leaned forward.

“When do I ever listen to you?” Keith found himself smiling at Lance’s squak of indignation.

 

_ “What were you thinking?” Shiro demanded, dropping to his knees to take Keith’s bloodied and bruised face into his hands. _

_ “I don’t know.” Keith admitted, sniffling. “James was being mean so I just...I hit him.” He tried to explain. _

_ “Keith you can’t just do that.” Shiro told him, voice soothing and thumb wiping away a smear of blood across his cheek. “You have to use words.” _

_ “I know but-” Keith hiccuped, a mix of snot and blood running out of his nose as his eyes filled with tears. “He made fun of mom and dad…and you.” Keith trailed off. Shiro’s face softened with understanding. _

_ “I’ll talk to his parents.” Shiro assured him. He stood, rummaging through a drawer for tissues and bandaids. “In the meantime we’ll get you patched up and you can hang out with Adam, okay?” Shiro asked, smoothing back Keith’s hair. Keith nodded and allowed himself to be lifted onto the kitchen counter. The two were silent apart from Keith’s sniffles as Shiro patched and cleaned him up. _

_ “Shiro? Why is our family weird?” Keith asked eventually. “Is it because I get into fights?” Shiro froze as he looked at Keith’s wide eyes. _

_ “No. Our family is weird because you’re so cool.” Keith scoffed. “I’m not kidding! It’s because you’re such a cool kid that me, Adam and Krolia are the luckiest people alive.” He placed a kiss against Keith’s forehead with a loud ‘Muah!’, causing Keith to giggle. _

_ “We love you Keith. We’re here for you unconditionally. That’s what family is for.” _

 

“Hey Keith.” Lance’s voice was quiet against the sounds of the forest around them, but was almost deafening against the silence that had fallen between them.

“Yeah?” They lay on their backs on their sleeping pads, staring at the sky.

“Do you ever wonder what life was like before all this?” Lance asked. Keith could hear his head turning, presumably towards him.

“Not really.” Keith admitted. Shuffling, Lance sitting up giving Keith a look of disbelief.

“Seriously?” Keith finally turned his head to meet Lance’s eyes. “It sounds like they had everything. Like shit was so much easier.” Keith shrugged at Lance’s words.

“Seems too complicated.” Lance scoffed at his answer and laid back down.

Silence passed over them. The only sounds were their breathing, the wind rustling through the trees, and an owl hooting in the distance.

Keith nearly fell asleep in the quiet before Lance spoke again.

“If you could change one thing, what would it be?” Lance asked.

Keith shrugged with a noncommittal grunt.

“You don’t spend a lot of time thinking, do you?” This caused Keith to look at Lance.

“Excuse me?” Keith scowled at Lance’s profile.

“You’re more of an action kind of guy, huh?” Lance clarified before barrelling on. “If I could change anything I’d bring back stuff that would make life easier for my family. I think I’d do anything for them.”

“After we get my brother we’ll find them.” Keith blurted. “I’ll make sure we do.”

“Thanks.” Lance’s voice was quiet and small. “Your family must be lucky to have someone like you.”

Keith couldn’t reply even if he wanted to as Lance turned to face him, moonlight casted across his face and lighting up his eyes. Otherworldly.

 

_ “Hey Shiro?” _

_ “Yeah?” _

_ “I think I’m gay.” _

_ “Join the club, kid.” _

 

“I thought you were supposed to be tall?” Keith taunted, hands on his hips and head tilted to the side.

“Taller than you.” Lance shot back. He stood on his toes, arm outstretched over his head to reach the top shelf.

The two found an abandoned storage house and figured it wouldn’t hurt to salvage any left behind supplies.

Keith failed at concealing his snort, schooling his face as Lance turned around with narrowed eyes.

“If I’m failing so bad then why don’t you try?” He challenged, gesturing to the shelf.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Keith glanced at Lance with a raised eyebrow and pushed him off to the side. “Watch how it’s done.” He made a show of cracking his knuckles and neck before he placed his foot on the first shelf and began to climb.

“I’m pretty sure that’s cheating.” He heard Lance mutter from behind him.

With a triumphant laugh, Keith plucked the bottle of salve from the top of the shelf.

“See, it’s easy-” Keith yelped as the shelf he stood on snapped, giving out from underneath him. He closed his eyes, bracing for impact. He hit something a lot softer than the floor, something that grunted with the force of keeping itself upright. Lance’s arms locked around him, chest against his back and nose pressed to his hair. The seconds seemed to tick by as Keith absorbed what just happened.

“Please be more careful.” Lance whispered, his breath tickling Keith’s neck. He nodded, reluctantly taking a step forward and turning to face Lance.

“Thanks.”

The universe apparently hated him, or at least his dog did. Kosmo’s head collided with the backs of Keith’s knees, sending him falling right back against Lance’s chest. He ducked his head in hopes of hiding the blush that overtook his face. Lance’s chest rumbled with laughter that bubbled out of his mouth.

“That one wasn’t your fault so I can’t even blame you there.” Keith chanced a glance up, wanting to sink into the ground as he realized just how close they were.

“I’m gonna kill Kosmo.” Keith decided aloud, turning his head to glare at the dog in question, who sat with his tongue out and tail wagging.

This brought on another round of laughter from Lance, prompting Keith to duck his head back against the taller boy’s chest.

 

<><><><>

 

Keith wasn’t sure how he let himself end up like this, backed up against a concrete wall, a Galra guard between he and Lance, who stood with Kosmo at his side. He’d already taken one down but the second one came out of nowhere.

Keith tried to focus, to find a way out, but it was hard with a gun pointed at his face.

Guns were rare. The Galra had monopolized them all.

“You’re Shirogane’s runt brother, huh?” The guard asked, a metal eye focusing in on him. “Shame that you’ll go down much easier than he did.” Keith snarled, only stopping himself from lunging when he remembered Lance and Kosmo watching. It wouldn’t do well to get shot and leave them to fend for themselves. “Oh, you didn’t like that, did you?”

“Fuck you.” Keith spat back. He tried not to react as he saw Lance creeping towards the fallen guard’s body. He wanted to cry out, tell Lance not to move.

“He put up a damn good fight.” The Galra in front of Keith grinned maliciously.

“He’s not dead. You have more use of him alive.” Keith honestly wasn’t sure who he was attempting to convince. The Galra shrugged.

“Good as.”

Keith was about to pull his knife and make a reckless move when a gunshot pierced the air. For a moment Keith believed he, himself, had been shot. That is, until the Galra before him slumped over, body hitting the ground heavily and kicking up a cloud of dust.

“Holy shit.” Lance let his hands fall, gun with them. His chest heaved as he stared at the Galra’s body. “Did...did I kill him?”

Before Keith knew it he was colliding with Lance, arms wrapped around his neck as the two of them stumbled from the impact.

“How did you do that?” Keith asked. The haunted look from Lance’s eyes faded a bit to make way for a cocky smile.

“I just picked up the gun, they don’t call me sharpshooter for nothing.”

_ No one calls you that.  _ Keith thought. But what came out was:

“Oh my god I could kiss you.”

It was then that Keith realized he was sprawled over Lance’s lap in the dirt between two dead Galra.

“I wouldn’t be opposed.” Keith’s eyes snapped back up to Lance. His cocky grin was replaced with a shy smile, his eyes completely open and vulnerable.

Before Keith could think, he was acting. His hands grabbed at Lance’s jaw, pulling him in to smash their lips together. Lance let out a surprised laugh against Keith’s lips before guiding him into a softer kiss, placing a hand against his back.

When they came up for air Lance pressed their foreheads together, refusing to let Keith pull too far away.

“I was wondering if I’d get to do that.” Lance spoke quietly, as if to preserve the moment.

“Oh, well I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.” Keith snarked. The two grinned at each other for another moment before finally pulling away.

Lance pushed himself up off the ground and extended a hand to Keith.

“Alright, let’s go get your brother.” Lance jerked his head in the direction of the daunting building just over the hill. Keith took his hand, letting himself be pulled up.

“Sounds good.”

They help their hands intertwined as they walked - Kosmo happily trailing on their heels - refusing to let the other go.

 

“Don’t you think it might be a little too early in our relationship for me to meet your family?” Lance joked with a grin.

“Oh, shut up.” Keith elbowed him but couldn’t suppress his own grin.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I kinda wanted to expand more than i did cuz as I wrote in the tags "Plot too big for my god damn fic"  
> But I'm happy with how this turned out and I hope it is enjoyed!


End file.
